PROGRAM — Private

To me, schools are communities and families. Communities work together, learn together and bond together. I chose to attend Gross Catholic because it is not only a community, but because of its core values.

One of the core values at Gross Catholic is to be authentically faithful. Faith is an important part of the school culture. My faith is very important to me because it has always helped me through tough times like last year when I was diagnosed with cancer. My elementary school classmates at St. Gerald School helped me face my diagnosis with courage and hope. My school also supported my parents by bringing our family meals and watching my brother so my parents could stay overnight with me when I was hospitalized. Now, as a freshmen at Gross Catholic, I will have opportunities to discuss my faith with my fellow classmates and share how it helped me during times of trial.

Another core value of Gross Catholic is to be academically driven. Their challenging academics will prepare me for the real world and help me achieve my goal of getting into the Air Force Academy. I believe that the education that I will receive at Gross Catholic will give me opportunities that I wouldn’t get anywhere else. There are also many extracurriculars that interest me such as mock trial, Cyber Patriot, trapshooting and academic decathlon. I will also have the opportunity to participate in sports I enjoy such as swimming and track. At a larger high school, I might get lost in the mix and not have the chance to be so involved.

The third core value of Gross Catholic is to be purposefully compassionate. Gross Catholic is a small, tightly-knit community filled with kindness. Everyone is welcome at Gross Catholic and this is something I experienced right away as a new student. Gross Catholic also educates its students in compassion through its Marianist Mission program. Through this program, I participate in service projects that help others and teach me about servant leadership. I know I made the right choice in Gross Catholic because it will prepare me for a life full of faith, community, and service to others.

I wouldn’t trade my school experience for anything and I’m lucky because I was able to choose my school. Not all students get a choice. I was able to choose my school because my parents are able to pay for tuition. There are many students out there less fortunate who are unable to choose their school because they cannot afford it. School choice matters because it gives all students, not just those who can afford it, a choice in which school they attend. There are a lot of great schools in Nebraska and I know that my school isn’t the right fit for everyone. But I wouldn’t want another student out there to miss out on the opportunities I’ve had just because they can’t afford to attend Gross Catholic. And that is why school choice matters — because every student deserves the opportunities I’ve had.

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